Community reacts to attack on Jewish students at Pitt

Jarrett Buba, who was arrested on Aug. 30 after allegedly attacking two Jewish students at the University of Pittsburgh, has been denied bail and ordered by Magisterial District Judge Nick Martini to complete a behavioral clinic evaluation at the Allegheny County Jail.

The students, who were wearing yarmulkes, were on their way to the Hillel Jewish University Center building for Shabbat dinner after a pre-Shabbos gathering at Hemingway’s Café, according to Daniel Marcus, executive director and CEO of Hillel Jewish University Center of Pittsburgh.
Wearing a keffiyeh and red shirt, Buba allegedly assaulted the students with a glass bottle, hitting them from behind. One of the students eventually wrestled him to the ground and held him until the police arrived.

Despite his pro-Palestinian garb — commonly worn by many protesting Israel’s war in Gaza after Hamas’ Oct. 7 terrorist attack — law enforcement officials do not believe Buba was motivated by hate or antisemitism, according to Shawn Brokos, director of community security for the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh.

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“They’ve initially determined it to be a random attack based on all of the evidence at the scene and knowledge of the defendant,” Brokos said. “If the investigation shows that this was motivated by hate, then additional charges can be added.”

For now, Buba is charged with two felony counts of aggravated assault, two misdemeanor counts of simple assault and reckless endangerment, resisting arrest and two summary charges of harassment.

Marcus said that he was alerted of the attack immediately after it happened and arrived on scene within minutes to provide comfort and support to the students assaulted. The police, he said, were on the scene within minutes of the attack.

When the students were taken for medical care, Marcus returned to Hillel JUC where he related what happened.

“I said what we are doing here right now — being in community and celebrating Shabbat — our Jewish pride, our care and support of one another is the Jewish response to these moments,” he said.

Sara Weinstein, co-director of Chabad House on Campus in Pittsburgh, said the attack came at a stressful time for Jewish college students, but praised their resilience.

“Difficulties and challenges bring out inner strength,” she said, “so, I definitely believe in the resilience and inner strength of Jewish students. We’re very proud of them.”

The students who were attacked, Weinstein said, defended themselves quickly and will continue to wear their yarmulkes and Star of David necklaces.

She said the attack was an opportunity for government and university officials to show moral clarity.

“The administration,” she said, “should designate appropriate measures on campus for conduct and activities that are to be tolerated or not tolerated.”

Weinstein said there is “too much leeway” in the area of freedom of speech on campus, and once comments turn antisemitic and start vilifying Israel, they should no longer be allowed.

Marcus, too, believes the constant vilification and demonization of Israel with hateful chants and rhetoric inevitably seeps into the culture and the behaviors of people with bad intentions.

Local elected officials, he said, should show moral clarity and take a stand to stamp out hate toward the Jewish community on campus and the wider community in general.

Pitt, along with Carnegie Mellon University, saw encampments and protests during the 2023-24 academic year that often included antisemitic and anti-Zionist chants, speeches and signs.

Chabad on Campus has called on Pitt to classify last week’s attack on the Jewish students as a hate crime.

In a statement following the attack, Pitt officials said they were grateful to the Pitt Police, who arrested the alleged perpetrator, and said he has no known affiliation to the university.

“Pitt leadership contacted Hillel University Center to offer support to our students and also connected with our partners at the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh,” the university’s statement read. “We are grateful to our Pitt Police officers for their swift action, and our Student Affairs team for their ongoing student support.”

University officials said they did not believe there were any ongoing threats to the public stemming from the incident and added that “neither acts of violence or antisemitism will be tolerated.”

Marcus said that Carla Panzella, Pitt’s vice provost of student affairs, came to Hillel JUC shortly after the attack took place offering support.

The Federation issued a statement of support as well, saying, “No Jewish student should be afraid or be under threat of violence while walking on or near campus. There is no place for antisemitism, hate or violence in our community. And while we are saddened by this, we are grateful for the ongoing collaboration with Hillel JUC, our university leaders, and law-enforcement.”

State and local officials were quick to issue statements in support of the students who were attacked.

“No matter what you look like, where you come from, or who you do or do not pray to, you deserve to feel safe on your campus here in Pennsylvania,” Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro wrote on X (formerly Twitter). “As an investigation proceeds, let me be clear: antisemitism and hate-fueled violence of any kind has no place in our Commonwealth.”

Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey said that he was sending “prayers of comfort and healing” to the students.

“Our universities should be spaces where everyone feels safe to learn and welcomed to be their authentic selves,” Gainey wrote on X. “We will continue to extend our support to Pitt Police and local authorities as it is our hope to eradicate any act of violence in our city. CommUnity, may we remember that only love and understanding can drive out hate and violence.”

An anti-Israel protest dubbed “300+ Days of Genocide, 300+ Days of Resistance,” took place on Sept. 3 at Schenley Plaza, organized by Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Pittsburgh and another group not affiliated with the school. It was the first protest of the new academic year and was attended by nearly 100 people. A small group of counter-protesters also attended. Pittsburgh police were on hand and the protest remained peaceful.

A day before the rally, the Steel City Antifacist League, which promoted the protest, posted messages on social media warning that Hillel International “has created a coalition designed to identify and target anti-genocide demonstrators called ‘Operation Secureourcampuses,’” which “trains Zionist students, faculty and bad faith actors in ‘preparing for situational awareness, what to do if confronted by demonstrators and how to respond to potentially life threatening situations.’”

The Steel City Antifascist League advised protesters to dress in simple clothing, avoid behavior that might identify them, refuse to speak with police or give any identifiable information and to not bring any type of weapon.

The group condemned the alleged attack by Buba in an earlier Instagram post, but said that “the University of Pittsburgh’s collaboration with Hillel University and the Jewish Federation of Greater Pittsburgh is a dangerous action,” and accused the Federation and Hillel of being “anti-Arab and anti-Muslim.”

Students for Justice in Palestine at the University of Pittsburgh condemned the attack on the Jewish students, saying it rejects “all forms of hate, including antisemitism, Islamophobia, anti-Palestinian racism, and white supremacy.”

It also denounced what it called the “misappropriation of Palestinian symbols by individuals unaffiliated with the movement for a liberated Palestine.”

Marcus called the Sept. 3 demonstration “destructive and deeply disturbing.”

“It only adds to the environment of intimidation that Jewish students have to experience walking in and around their campus,” he said. “It in no way adds to the cause for peace.”

There is no place for antisemitism on campuses or in society, Marcus added.

“We will not let those that wish to vilify and demonize us change the steadfastness of our mission and vision to provide every Jewish student with meaningful Jewish life and pride in their Jewish identity,” he said. PJC

David Rullo can be reached at drullo@pittsburghjewishchronicle.org.